(Post) Friday Flashback: Bucks Fizz ~ Writing On The Wall Deluxe Edition

Imagine a world where H & Claire hadn't shafted over the rest of Steps and they had continued making music together as a group. It could have gone one of two ways - first, they could have continued to be massive, churning out hit after quality pop hit much like Girls Aloud until Cheryl threw it all up the swanny for them. Or, and potentially more likely, it could have all fizzled out with a fifth and final album that was marketed completely wrong. This is what happened to seminal 80s pop group Bucks Fizz who delighted pop pickers for a good few years with hits like Making Your Mind Up, Camera Never Lies, If You Can't Stand The Heat and of course The Land Of Make Believe. Next Monday sees a deluxe edition of their 5th album rereleased, packed with extra goodies. Here's what you need to know...

WRITING ON THE WALL:

It's a rather brave album title for a group that was seeing diminishing returns for their singles and albums sales, but Bucks Fizz powered forward with a fifth album anyway. To be honest, there are some real gems on this two disc edition and had the singles been chosen more wisely, they could've seen much better success than they did. It all kicked off with the top ten hit New Beginning (Mamba Seyra)with it's gorgeous tribal rhythms, emphatic beats and a really rousing uplifting, harmony laden chorus. There was something really anthemic and euphoric about the track that was a great way to launch into a new album for them. The second single was a perfectly perfunctory cover of Love The One You're With. It failed to set the charts alight, meaning that this song about being a bit of hussy has never been a massive hit in this country (and Will Young's version would have given it it's best shot but was never released. Bah). What should've been released as the New Beginning follow up is the glorious Love In A World Gone Mad. It's a gutsy little pop number with a great, soaring chorus - an excellent extended version is also included within the deluxe edition that is well worth a listen. Agnetha Falgstok herself saw the potential in the tune and recorded it for her 1987 album, I Stand Alone. The third single from the album was more or less on the money - a dreamy ballad called Keep Each Other Warm that was saturated with a warm backing track and lush harmonies. (it's another song where the potential was seen by a megastar - this time Barry Manilow later recorded his own version)...

The momentum of the album could then have been kept going with some reworkings of post album four singles with RCA that were tacked onto this, their first Polydor release. You and Your Heart So Blue & Magical were both lacking in chart success - however, the former deserved so much better. It's keeping with the more sophisticated, adult sound that Bucks Fizz had morphed towards by this point and has a giddy rocking beat, a driving drum percussion and a powerhouse chorus that was up there with the best poodle perm rock of the 80s. Cheryl's vocals in the middle 8 are also quite quite splendid. 60s styled Soul Motion with a gentle remix could've become a sizeable chart and dance smash - indeed a rather giddy 2011 extended remix is included on this two disco edition as if to show what could've been. As various incarnations of Bucks Fizz have toured the country in recent years, this album track has always remained a live favourite and could've been a single.

A plethora of alternate versions, demos, new tracks, extended versions and live medleys are available on the deluxe edition, which makes it an absolute treasure trove for fans. It's what I'd hoped Steps would do with rereleases of their albums instead of just bunging back onto the market as they were. Bucks Fizz might have had some stigma attached to them as a fluffly throwaway pop band, but Writing On The Wall - while not perfect - showcases a variety of styles, some nifty harmonies and some genuinely fun pop songs. It would be a shame to miss out on it. If you need a proper introduction to Bucks Fizz, be sure to watch the videos at the top and bottom of this post. Splendif.